The Miso Book: The Art of Cooking with Miso

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

In Japan, the preparation of miso has been considered an art form for centuries, and those who prepare miso are looked upon as Masters. As a food, miso can be used in a wide variety of satisfying dishes. As a folk remedy, it has been successfully used to treat poor digestion, cancer, radiation sickness, and even low libido. Through a unique double-fermentation process, soybeans and grains are transformed into this wondrous food. Readily available in supermarkets and natural food stores, miso is an integral ingredient in numerous health-oriented cookbooks. The Miso Book begins by offering miso basics--the different types, the various manufacturing methods, and miso's role in maintaining good health. Also presented are easy-to-use directions for making miso at home. What follows is the book's recipe section, which starts with information on the cooking and blending qualities of different types of miso, pointers on which types of miso work best with various foods, and guidelines on how to use different misos as dairy and meat substitutes. Finally, the book offers over 100 recipes in which miso is used in dips and spreads, sauces, fish dishes, grain dishes, soups and stews, vegetable dishes, and bean, tofu, and tempeh dishes.

Review:

"How do you become an expert on miso? Spend eight months apprenticed to a traditional miso master in a Japanese village. Work long, hot hours preparing and mixing soybeans, separating the grains by hand and fermenting them in 200-year-old vats. At least that's what these authors have done, and the result is this engrossing guide to fermented soy. In the hands of the Bellames, miso is more than an ingredient: it's an ancient tradition, originating in China around 800 B.C., before becoming the food of conquerors in 15th-century Japan. It became an integral part of the lives of modern Japanese people, and spread to America during the 1960s macrobiotics movement. This book covers different types of miso, how to make miso at home and miso's health benefits, which include lowered cholesterol and enhanced immune function. The book's bulk and climax is a buffet of tempting recipes: expected fare, like Kyoto-Style Miso Soup and Spicy Soba Salad, accompany many dishes not normally associated with miso, such as French Onion Soup, Italian-Style Stuffed Shells, Caribbean Fish Chowder and Apple-Nut Muffins. Although the authors probably offer more information about miso than most people need to know, their reverence and enthusiasm for their topic is impressive. (July)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Publishers Weekly Review"
by Publishers Weekly,
"How do you become an expert on miso? Spend eight months apprenticed to a traditional miso master in a Japanese village. Work long, hot hours preparing and mixing soybeans, separating the grains by hand and fermenting them in 200-year-old vats. At least that's what these authors have done, and the result is this engrossing guide to fermented soy. In the hands of the Bellames, miso is more than an ingredient: it's an ancient tradition, originating in China around 800 B.C., before becoming the food of conquerors in 15th-century Japan. It became an integral part of the lives of modern Japanese people, and spread to America during the 1960s macrobiotics movement. This book covers different types of miso, how to make miso at home and miso's health benefits, which include lowered cholesterol and enhanced immune function. The book's bulk and climax is a buffet of tempting recipes: expected fare, like Kyoto-Style Miso Soup and Spicy Soba Salad, accompany many dishes not normally associated with miso, such as French Onion Soup, Italian-Style Stuffed Shells, Caribbean Fish Chowder and Apple-Nut Muffins. Although the authors probably offer more information about miso than most people need to know, their reverence and enthusiasm for their topic is impressive. (July)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information, Inc.)

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